Cue ball bowling game apparatus



Sept. 1,1936. H. SMITH 2,052,584

CUE BALL BOWLING GAME APPARATUS Filed May 22, 193 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z w Z 6 q fkm Z 3 -1 s F V J 3nventor Lou/5 H SM/ TH Gttorneg Sept. 1, 1936. L, MlTH 2 2,052,584

CUE BALL BOWLING GAME APPARATUS Filed May 22, 1954 2 Sheets-Shet 2 C I Z A Inventor (Ittorneg Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNETED STATES PATENT oFFiee 5 Claims.

My invention relates to a cue ball bowling game apparatus, and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a game in the form of a bowling game to be played with pool .or billiard balls using 5 the cue ball as the driving ball for moving the balls which are positioned analogous to ten pins;

Second, to provide an apparatus of this class which is adapted for use for scientific playing and combines to a certain extent the pool or billiard 10 game with the bowling game;

Third, to provide a bowling apparatus of this class in which there is provided means for positioning the balls simultaneously upon the fiat surface of a'table which is a portion of the ap- :15 paratus;

Fourth, to provide an apparatus of this class in which the means for positioning and its operating mechanism is all positioned below the top or fiat table surface and out of the way;

20 Fifth, to provide an apparatus for setting the balls of this class in which the balls are placed temporarily in position on pins extending through the table and then the ball is lowered on these pins so that there is no tendency for the ball to 95 move because as the pin recedes it leaves the ball positioned on a spot and the pins are down flush with the upper surface of the table;

Sixth, to provide a setting apparatus of this class which is also used for determining whether the balls which have been moved after the first or second shot are to remain on the table or are to be removed as moved sufficiently to be called off or up on the table;

Seventh, to provide an apparatus of this class in which the means for determining whether the ball is to remain on the table or to be taken off is positive and accurate as it is done with the movement of the ball setting pins upwardly and if the ball is too far removed from its original 40 spot it will go oif, if not, it will be replaced in its original position by the operation of the pin upwardly and downwardly;

Eighth, to provide a simple means of accumulating the balls so that they may be readily re- 45 placed in position;

Ninth, to provide a ball setting and ball position determining means with apparatus with which it may be operated from the end of the table from which the player is operating;

50 Tenth, to provide a novelly constructed apparatus of this class which is very compact and durable, efficient in its action, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order; and

. Eleventh, to provide an apparatus of this class 55 which is relatively narrow because the players all play from one end and may be readily moved through an ordinary door from one room to another, if desired.

With these and other objects in view as will 60 appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference. being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which: 1

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my apparatus and showing the outline of two balls positioned in connection with the pins; Fig. 2 is a sectional view through 22 of Fig. 1 and showing two balls in outline supported on the pins in their raised position; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view with parts and portions broken away and in section to facilitate the illustration, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view from the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The main table I, spot table 2, inclined chutes 3, ball receiving chamber 4, pins 5, pin supporting plate 6, inclined plates 1, shifting frame 8,

journal members 9, rollers I6 and H, shaft l2,

track members 13, rod 14, and pin setting shifting lever l5, constitute the principal parts and por- 5 tions of my cue ball bowling game apparatus.

The main table I is a relatively narrow flat table member and it is provided on opposite sides with upwardly extending side members la and at its ends with end members vlb and lo. Mounted go at, the one end at the middle portion is the spot table 2 which extends backwardly from the table I and is preferably flush with and at the same level with the table I. At the opposite sides of this spot table 2 are the inclined chutes '3 one on each side which extend downwardly, as shown, and at the end there is provided a space between the end lo and the end of the table 2 which is a receiving chamber 4 for the balls which are removed from the table in playing; it being noted thatthe balls 40 if they roll down on the inclined portion 3 will .roll downwardly to this receiving chamber. The

table I, table 2, sides la, and ends lb, lo, inclined portions 3, and in fact the whole exposed upper surface of the inner playing portion of the apparatus is covered with a cushion, such as felt,

or felt and rubber, or rubber, to provide a cushion effect which is designated C. Mounted in the table 2 is a plurality of eyelet members 2a. There are thirty of these eyelets positioned surrounding the spot which is the customary position for ten pins in the ordinary bowling alley. These eyelets extend through the table member and cushion and are flush with the top of the table so that the upper surface of the table presents a smooth sur- 5 face. Reciprocally mounted in'these. eyelets are pins 5. The upper ends of the pinsare rounded and are adapted to extend above the board when in their raised position sufficiently to support the conventional pool or billiard ball slightly above the surface of the table, as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings. These pins 5 are rigidly secured in their relative positions to each other in the plate 6, which plate is shiftably mounted upwardly and downwardly and guided by means of the corner angle members Id which form a part of the frame of the table I.

Secured to the lower side of this table is a plu---;"

rality of inclined surfacedmembers 1, four of which are preferred, two at each end. These plates 1 are each provided with curves 1a and 1b adapted to fit the periphery of the rollers l I, and the other sides of these curved portions'form a stop for the shifting movement of the rollers ll. These rollers II are mounted on a shaft l2 which is supported on rollers I0. The rollers ID are adapted to roll on the track members IS. The journal members 9 are secured together by means of a plate 8 so that the rollers l0 and I l and journals 9 are all secured together so that they operate in unison.

Secured centrally atthe one side of the plate 8 is a rod I4 which extends forwardly to the front side of the table member I. Pivotally connected with this rod I4 is a lever I5 which is pivotally mounted centrally of the table at the one end just below the upper flat surfaced portion of the table, as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings, This lever extends upwardly above the table portion and mounted on its upper end is a lever operating plate l5a which extends across the table transversely so that it can be grasped conveniently from any 1 position at the front of the table and shifted backwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, in which case the member 8 and rollers are shifted likewise.

When the member is shifted backwardly, as shown by solid lines, the pins 5 are raised to the position shown by solid lines in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Then the balls B are placed in position on the three properly related pins 5 and are supported slightly above the upper surface of the table 2. Then by shifting. the lever I5 ba'ckwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the pins recede permitting the balls to be left in position on the upper surface of the table zwithout rolling or holding in any way because the pins move downwardly from the ball and leave the ball without any transverse or side pressure whatever.

After a'shot has been made and some of the balls removed some of them may be slightly off of their proper position. By again operating the'lever'and raising the pins those balls which are too far removed from their proper position are ruled oiT and are to be removed, while those that are closer in will be supported by the pins and will again resume their proper position on the table 2.

Thus there is provided means for both originally setting the balls in the proper position on the table 2 and also for clearly and definitely determining whether or not the ball should remain on the table or be removed after the first or second shots.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement but desire to include inthe scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cue ball bowling game app ratus, a table member, a plurality of pin units shiftable upwardly and downwardly through said table member, their upper ends when'in raised position adapted to support a, ball spaced above the table and when lowered leave the ball in position on the upper surface of said table, means positioned below said table for simultaneously shifting said pins upwardly and downwardly simultaneously including, a plate shiftable upwardly and downwardly to which said pins are rigidly secured, a plurality of inclined members secured to the lower side of said plate, and a carriage shiftable longitudinally of said plate and engageable with said inclined members.

2. In a cue ball bowling game apparatus, a table member, a plurality of pin units shiftable upwardlyand downwardly through said table member, their upper ends when in raised position adapted to support a ball spaced above the table and when lowered leave the ball in position on theupper surface of said table, means positioned below said table for simultaneously shifting said pins upwardly and downwardly simultaneously including, a plate shiftable upwardly and downwardly to which said pins are rigidly secured, a plurality of inclined members secured to the lower side of said plate, a carriage shiftable longitudinally'oi said plate and engageable with said inclined members, and rod and lever means extending to the one end of said table adapted tofacilitate the shifting of said carriage backwardly and forwardly relative to said table.

3. In a device of the class described, a table member, a plurality of pin units shiftable upwardly and downwardly through said table, journal members positioned in said table surrounding said pins, vertically shiftable means to which all of said pins arerigidly secured, and means for guiding said vertically shiftable means in its vertical movement, a carriage longitudinally shiftable be neath said table, and inclined means connecting ly and. downwardly through said table, journal members positioned in said table surrounding said 7 pins, vertically shiftable means to which all of 5 said pinsare rigidly secured, means 'for guiding said vertically shiftable means in its vertical movement, acarriage longitudinally shiftable beneath said table, inclined means connecting said carriage with said vertically shiftable means, and

a track for said carriage. I

5. In a'device of the class described, a table member, a plurality of pin units shiftable upwardly and downwardly through said table, journal members positioned in said table surrounding said pins, vertically shiftable means to which all of said pins are rigidly secured, means for guiding said vertically shiftable means in its vertical movement, a carriage longitudinally shiftable beneath said table, inclined means connecting said carriage with said vertically shiftable means, a track for'said carriage, and rod and lever means for shifting said carriage longitudinally of said table.

LOUIS H. SMITH. 

